Al Arabi missed a big opportunity to make ground on the top four as they lost 1-2 at home to Al Gharafa in Week 19 of the QNB Stars League yesterday.
Wilfried Bony scored the opener for Al Arabi in the very second minute, but Gharafa clawed back after Ahmed Alaaeldin scored in the eighth minute. A Bony own goal in the 73rd minute at the Al Arabi Stadium gave Gharafa their sixth victory and raised their points tally to 22 points. Al Arabi remain on 27 points.
The match started in frantic fashion as Bony got on the scoresheet inside the opening two minutes when he latched onto to a cross from the right and prodded home. That early lead did not last long, thanks to a great breakaway goal from the visitors. Mehdi Taremi’s run down the right culminated in a through ball to Alaaeldin, who spectacularly drilled the ball into the top corner from a tight angle with the odds against him.
An entertaining encounter between the two sides was decided in the most unfortunate of fashion as Vladimir Weiss’ free-kick from the right was diverted into his own goal by Bony to settle the match.
In another match, Al Rayyan came through with a tight 1-0 win over Al Khor at the Al Sadd Stadium. Rodrigo Tabata scored the winning goal in the 36th minute as Al Rayyan moved to 33 points, while Al Khor stay on 15.
The first half was very much an attacking display from Al Rayyan as they showed the gulf in position between the two sides. A stream of attacks resulted in efforts from Abdulrahman Al Harazi and Koh Myong-Jin which were well kept out by Baba Djibril in the opposition goal. As the half developed, Tabata came into the game and was rewarded for his creativity when he grabbed the only goal of the evening. A pressing move saw Mohammed Juma whip in a cross from the left which was met in the middle of the box by Tabata who headed home.
Al Khor were able to make more of an impression on the match as the clock ticked down. However, most of their efforts went in vain. Helal Mohammed went close with a stinging shot which was well kept out, before Wagner Ferreira had a couple of chances that he was unlucky to convert.
Lucca Borges nearly doubled the lead at the death, but Al Rayyan had already done enough to see out the game and take home the three points.
Al Gharafa’s Ahmed Alaaeldin (centre) battles for the ball with Al Arabi defenders during the QNB Stars League match at the Al Arabi Stadium yesterday.
